Green Cleaning Projects

Educate your community on hazardous waste alternatives they can use.  To download the PowerPoint presentation about the ingredients of the green cleaning kits, click here. Instead of buying cleaners that produce large amounts of waste and can pose health problems to community members if not disposed of or stored correctly encourage households to use natural products for cleaning.  For example:

Glass Cleaner
2 tablespoons vinegar to 1 quart of water

Air Freshener
Simmer cinnamon and cloves.  Ventilate!

Coffee Cup Stain Removal
Use moist salt.

Mosquito Repellent
Burn citronella candles, citronella oil

Drain Cleaner
Plunge, follow with ½ cup backing soda and ½ cup vinegar, let sit for 15 minutes then pour two quarts of boiling water.

Tile Cleaner
Baking soda.

Copper Cleaner
Lemon juice and salt

Spot Remover
Club soda, lemon juice, or salt

General Cleaner
1 teaspoon liquid soap plus 1 teaspoon borax plus one squeeze of lemon in quart of warm water

Stainless Steel Polish
Mineral oil.

Linoleum Floor Cleaner
1 cup white vinegar plus 2 gallons water.

To clean aluminum cookware, combine ingredients in cookware.  Bring solution to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.  Wash and dry as usual.

Brass Cleaner
Lemon juice
Baking soda

Make a paste about the consistency of toothpaste. Rub onto brass with a soft cloth. Rinse with water and dry.

Brass Cleaner
Lemon juice
Cream of tartar
Make a paste about the consistency of toothpaste.

Apply to surface, leave on for 5 minutes. Wash with warm water. Dry with a soft cloth.

Chrome and Stainless Steel Cleaner
Dip soft cloth in undiluted white vinegar. Wipe surface.

Oven Cleaner
Baking soda
Very fine steel wool

Car Battery Corrosion
Baking soda and water

All-Purpose Cleaner I
4 tablespoons baking soda
1 quart warm water

Dissolve baking soda in warm water. Apply with a sponge. Rinse with clear water.

All-Purpose Cleaner II
Apply baking soda to a damp sponge. Rinse with clear water.

Furniture Cleaner and Polish I 
3 cups olive oil
1 cup vinegar

Mix together until well blended.  Use a clean soft cloth to apply to furniture

Furniture Cleaner and Polish II
Wet a washcloth.  Wring out as much water as possible.  Wipe furniture surface with damp washcloth.  Dry immediately with a clean, soft, dry cloth.

Lime and Mineral Deposit Remover
Soak paper towels in vinegar.  Apply the paper towels to the lime deposits around the faucet.  Leave them on for approximately one hour.  The deposits will be softened and can be removed easily.

Aluminum cleaner
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
1 quart of water. 

Sprinkle water on oven surface. Apply baking soda. Rub using very fine steel wool. Wipe off scum with a damp sponge. Rinse well and dry.

Oven Cleaner
While oven is still warm, sprinkle water on the spill, then sprinkle salt on it. When the oven cools down, scrape the spill away and wash the area.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner I
Baking soda
Vinegar

Sprinkle baking soda into the toilet bowl. Add vinegar. Scour with a toilet brush.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner II
Pour 1/2 cup liquid chlorine bleach into toilet bowl. Let stand for 30 to 45 minutes. Scrub with a brush. Flush.

Do not mix bleach with vinegar, toilet bowl cleaner, or ammonia. Chlorine bleach is a toxic ingredient. Handle it with care and store it safely

More Links and Recipes

Recipes (part 1) (Word doc) to print out for your green cleaning kit.
More recipes (part 2) (PDF)

14 Uses for Lemons in the Home